Enterprise mobility has become extremely beneficial to all sorts of organizations from different business sectors. You can safely say it is even crucial to companies where distributed teams are a common practice. Enterprises in Finance, Logistics, Pharmacy, Infrastructure and many more have implemented the concept.

The future of enterprise mobility seems bright, as the trend is growing by the day. This, of course, can be either a burden, or a great opportunity for businesses, depending on whether they take advantage of the phenomena in the best possible way.

If you own or manage a company that’s headed in the direction of rolling out such an initiative, there are a few points to consider. Your operational efficiency must remain intact, and the same goes for customer experience. The latter should actually improve by adding the mobile element. You should also be able to keep your competitive edge, and do so cost-effectively. So what are the key points and questions to consider before you plunge into the world of enterprise mobility?   

Determine What Can Go Mobile

Enterprise systems are usually huge. Making the whole workflow mobile-enabled is virtually impossible. You have to analyze potential use on-the-go and determine which processes can and should go mobile.

Convenience and ease of access will tell you what areas to work on and what to leave desktop-only. If you are not sure about the appropriate requirements to follow, you can find an exhaustive list here. For example, there is content that simply can’t fit a small screen, but if organized on a dashboard with a snapshot view that still enables users to see the information, even reports and data sheets can qualify for a mobile counterpart. Since the entire initiative will depend on your decision, consider all aspects carefully.

Decide Which Devices Will Be Supported

In determining the scope of supported devices, you will also have to decide if the company will provide them to users or it will be a bring-your-own policy where everybody will be using their personal mobile phone to access the system.

Whether you go for company-owned or personal devices will depend on the level of standardization you are aiming at, as well as how much control over the applications is necessary in terms of security measures and adherence to standards.

Check out http://www.businesscomputingworld.co.uk/enterprise-mobility-isnt-rocket-science-all-you-need-is-a-proper-plan/ in order to get some hints and ideas on what makes up a good mobility management plan. When purchasing the future company devices, never go for low price at the expense of quality. Don’t forget you will need sufficient resources, enough battery life and protection from weather conditions, if devices are used in the open. Workflow needs to be smooth, so in case you need good cameras or other features, make sure the brand and model you choose delivers that.

Work Apps And Internet Connectivity Matter Too!

For more standard workflows there are a lot of existing apps you can buy, which will meet the requirements of your business. Specific needs will, of course, require custom, tailormade applications. Apart from functionality, do check what the user experience will be, as convenience of mobile use is key to smooth operation.

Try to calculate an accurate average of calls and data usage when selecting your plan from the mobile carrier. Analyze estimates and then consider what plans will be most suitable for you. If the enterprise team is distributed across different areas, this will require a choice of several carriers depending on which provides a better communication quality locally.

Security And Productivity Concerns You Will Have To Tackle

Data security and threat prevention are a major concern with enterprise mobility. There should be strict policies and outlines as to how sensitive information will be handled. User authentication is the first step to a greater security. Best practices can be enforced by applying two-step authentication, passcodes, encrypted connections through a VPN client, and more. Configuration steps should be consistent and well-outlined, in order to prevent misconfiguration and installation issues on the part of the users.

Productivity and the avoidance of distractions can be guaranteed, especially in the case of company-owned devices, where non-work related applications and websites can be restricted. When team members use their own devices, this could be bound by a policy that forbids personal use during office hours.